Last month Germany announced plans to completely phase out the use of
nuclear power by 2022 in favor of renewable energy sources - however what
is to become of the nation's nuclear plants after they have been shut down?
Enter West Germany's Wunderland Kalkar - an incredible adaptive reuse project
that transformed a never-used nuclear reactor into an amusement park!
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The remarkable renovation took a power station in Kalkar and turned
it into a park that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
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Wunderland Kalkar hosts a range of activities and play areas for the
whole family – from high-flying swings to merry-go-rounds, and a carousel.
The repurposed site has worked wonders for the area’s tourism industry,
attracting an average of 600,000 visitors a year.
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Construction of the plant began in 1972, but the project suffered continual
delays due to protests of those concerned about the safety of nuclear power.
The plant was eventually completed over ten years later, however it never
went into operation and the estimated $4 billion project was dismantled
after less than a decade.
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Adapted into Wunderland Kalkar in 1995, the site
continues to function in its new role, attracting visitors from around the
world.
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